Finch might fall after another MCG failure

Aaron Finch only managed eight and six in the Boxing Day Test, putting his role as opener in major doubt.

Aaron Finch

Australian opener Aaron Finch is caught for three in the second innings against India. (AAP)

Aaron Finch would welcome back David Warner in the Test team with open arms and sadly for him, his batting reinforces the sentiment.

Finch's twin failures at the MCG put him at long odds of opening in Sydney.

After scoring eight in the first innings of the Boxing Day Test, he only lasted four deliveries on Saturday before Virat Kohli caught him at second slip off the bowling of Jasprit Bumrah for three.

Finch's poor shot looked more like he was giving slips catching practice than a batsman whose team is chasing 399 for a miracle win.

Since his Test debut in the UAE, Finch has scored 278 runs at 27.80 in five matches as an opener.

His two half centuries have shown glimpses of promise, but Saturday's get-out shot was damning.

Three days after enthusiastically endorsing Warner's return to the Test team, Finch has shown again that Australia badly need their top opener.

"Aaron Finch can't open the batting in Sydney. He's been exposed by this Indian attack," Simon Katich told Channel Seven.

"I don't think he's going to be opening in the Ashes."

Katich called for a return of No.3 Usman Khawaja to the opening role.

"He is someone who, as we've seen in this Test match and even the second innings in Perth, he applied himself beautifully when Australia were under pressure," he said.

"He looked really good today.

"The other thing that is important is that Australia needs experience at the top of the order, to guide some of these young guys finding their feet in Test cricket.

"Having lost David Warner and Steve Smith, Australia need some experience at the top of the order."

Finch and Marcus Harris are the first all-Victorian opening combination for an MCG Test in 45 years.

They had opening stands of 24 and six and the highest score between them was 22, suggesting it might be another long spell for the next all-local opening pair in the Boxing Day fixture.


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Source: AAP



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